A Brief History of the Houston Astros!

“May I have everyone’s attention, please? This week, we’re covering the Houston Astros!” ~what I picture Craig Biggio saying in the above picture

The Astros were started as an expansion team the same year as the New York Mets, 1962, but they were actually known as the Houston Colt .45s. It wasn’t until 1965, when they moved into the Astrodome, that they inherited their new name. As you may have guessed by their name and star logo, the Astros take their inspiration from the local space program. I actually enjoy their original logo from the 60’s, which reminds me of the Jetsons, and the Springfield Isotopes. Another fun tidbit: because the Astrodome was the first domed stadium in the world, and grass wouldn’t properly grow, a substitute was created to play on, which is where AstroTurf gets its name. Thanks Wikipedia!

The Astros have had a rough go of things since their inception, and, while they’ve had a string of incredible seasons, still haven’t won a World Series. They have, however, been a home to some especially talented players over the years, including Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell while I was growing up, and most famously, the great Nolan Ryan. Ryan recently rejoined the team as an adviser in the 2014 season, but quite honestly, I’d love to see how he’d fare as a pitching coach. If nothing else, he could at least tell you how to handle a batter charging the mound, just ask Robin Ventura!

As the week goes on, I’m hoping to pair up some items from local Houston companies with other orange and navy pieces, for a complete Astros look. Maybe I’ll even draw some inspiration from their 70’s uniforms, if I’m feeling particularly wild. I confess, they definitely tie in to NASA, because those jerseys make me want to drink some Tang 😉